When Hell Freezes Over
by LadyCordeliaStuart
Summary: Elsa and Anna go to Greece for a sisterly bonding trip. They end up stumbling into a classic legend with the one person who might be Elsa's match.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Elsa! Everything's packed. Let's go!"

Anna was bouncing off the walls, throwing things into bags and twirling around. I stood at the window, gripping the ledge and breathing deeply. Little veins of ice started curling on the stone. I pressed my hands firmly to my sides.

_It's going to be fine. You haven't had any incidents since the coronation affair, and look how well that turned out. _Anna tugged on my sleeve.

"Come on, the coach is waiting! It's time for the best vacation ever," she said. She dragged me behind her down the stairs and to the castle entrance. She jumped into the coach and looked expectantly at me.

"All right. Just one moment," I said. I signaled for the head servant.

"All the preparations have been made?" I asked.

"Everything is ready," he assured me.

"The advisors are in place and there's no sign of any trouble?" I asked.

"It will be fine, my queen," he said placidly.

"You know how to reach me if you need me?" I asked.

"You have prepared for every _possible _contingency. We merely executed your plans," he said, and he smiled. "Do try to have fun." I sighed, smoothed out my dress, and sat down next to Anna. We were on our way.

It had been a year and a half since I assumed leadership of Arendelle. The treasury was full to the brim with proceeds from our thriving exportation of ice. We had treaties in place with nearly the entire continent, and the outliers had made no moves to attack a queen that could freeze them solid if she so desired. Diplomacy was moving more slowly. Any delegates who met me tended to assume I was a cold-hearted tyrant waiting to happen. Those who thought so were more likely to leave me alone, so I allowed them to. Anyone who was really important, like Anna, knew the real me. She was the one who had suggested that we should go on a sisterly bonding trip. And she suggested it and suggested it until I could refuse her no longer.

We reached the ship that would take us to our exotic destination. Anna set off to explore, and I looked over the railing into the water.

_Mother and Father died on a ship, _I thought. _Oh, Elsa, what a way to start a vacation. Nothing like that will happen. Besides, if it does, you can just freeze the waves. So there. Have _fun.

I settled myself in the lounge and waited for Anna to return. When she did, she was full of exciting news to report.

"There's so much stuff in here. There's a little nest high up in the sails. You have to come look at it. But not yet. You've probably had enough excitement for one day," she said.

"Don't let me forget," I said. "Now, we have very important business. Have you found all the things we need to see?"

Anna picked up a book off one of the bookshelves on the wall and opened it to a map.

"Here's where we're going. Greece is full of all sorts of old stuff, like temples and statues. There's also a huge mountain and tons of little islands. We're really not bringing _any _guards?" she asked.

"I thought that would really just make us more of a target. And anybody who tries to harass _my _baby sister will simply have to learn a lesson," I said. The long trip began.

The winds were in our favor, and the water grew warmer every day. Anna showed me the crow's nest, which was truly an experience. Anna scurried right up the ropes and about gave me a heart attack. I picked my way up after her and she hauled me in when I reached the top. She was delighted to find out I had sent for the finest chocolatier in Arendelle to staff our kitchen, and we ate more chocolate than anyone has a right to. When Anna wasn't coaxing me out to see jumping fish or to sit in the warm sun on the deck, I spent most of my time in my cabin or the lounge, reading books on our destination or just enjoying the silence.

The only time I was ever really nervous was at nights. Sometimes I would toss and turn for hours as she ship swayed. _What were you thinking? _I would ask myself. _You hardly ever left your room for ten years and now you're running off to an entirely new country? What if they find out what you are? Will they chase you away again? Will they think Anna's different too? Why didn't you just stay in your safe and familiar castle? They accept you there. That's your home. _My stomach would flutter and I would creep across the room and press my ear against the wall. Anna was in the next cabin over, and as long as I could hear her shifting and moving around, I knew it would be all right. She was my little sister, but she protected me as much as I protected her.

We reached the mainland early in the morning, and Anna shooed me out of bed as the sailors were still placing the gangplank. When I first caught sight of Greece, I didn't even know what to make of it. Arendelle has summer, but not like that. The grass was so green it almost hurt to look at, and the sand on the beaches was as white as snow back home. I wasn't sure about all the open space and rolling fields. It all looked so new and frightful.

"There should be a forest just over that hill," Anna said as she pointed at the horizon. "We can get out of the sun there."

There really wasn't much to unpack. Our plan was to travel light and buy what we needed along the way. Whatever we couldn't carry we'd send back to the ship, which would dock every week. Anna insisted it had to go back out to sea the rest of the time, or else it wouldn't really be just our trip. We each had a light bag filled with a few necessities and some emergency funds. I didn't tell Anna, but mine had a pair of gloves tucked in on the bottom, just in case. We waved the ship off, and our ultimate sister bonding trip officially began.


	2. What happens below

Death can be a real pain. After swirling around in the Styx for who knows how long, I finally hauled myself out. I wiped the soul juice off of me and stormed back to my throne.

"You know what? Fine. I don't need that tramp. She'll come crawling back when he breaks her heart again. '_Oh Hades, please let me come back. Poor little Meggie got crushed all over again_.' One way or another, she'll be back.

There was plenty to occupy my time while I waited. I worked on some new plans to dominate Olympus, kicked Pain and Panic around, told all the souls I would send back whichever one spoke Pig Latin the longest, watched the show, and generally ruled the Underworld. I checked the Styx every week or so to see if Hercules sat on Meg or something.

After I checked one day and she still wasn't there, I threw a rock into the river and looked around for someone to harass. Pain and Panic were off hiding somewhere. They sensed my ill temper after I set them on fire a few times. I looked around at my drab surroundings and sulked.

"This place is like death warmed over," I said. "Where's the pizzazz? Where's the flair? Something's missing. Something… purple." I dug around in some chests until I found some colorful drapes. I threw them up on a wall and examined them.

"No, no, that's not it. What does everyone else have that I don't? Not charm or good looks…" I stood thinking.

"I need a woman. They're good with this stuff. Hold it… Hephaestus has Aphrodite- however _that _happened, Zeus has Hera… and half of Greece, but all I had was Meg! I could have done worse, but she was no goddess of beauty. What I need is a bride, a queen for my lovely underground dump. Pain! Panic! Get ready. We're going hunting."


	3. Persephone part 1

Two adorable little rabbits hopped through the forest. They sat back on their haunches and sniffed the air as they looked around.

"See anyone?" the smaller one said.

"No. Just that fat old gardener and his ugly daughter," the bigger one said.

"Hurry up, he's not gonna like this," the small one said. He rubbed his paws together worriedly.

"Hey!" the big one shouted. He pointed at two figures approaching and his tail stood up sharply. "What have we got here?"

Two women were walking through the trees together. The shorter one was running ahead and pointing things out. The other one was walking behind her and smiling up at the treetops.

"Ooh, that might work," the little bunny said. "But which one?"

The two rabbits looked at the women. The short one had brown hair, blue eyes, and a youthful sort of look. The other one had almost white hair and blue eyes. She seemed like the older of the two.

"Let's take the short one. She looks more like Meg," the big bunny said. The little one nodded, and they waited as their target saw something and gasped.

"Elsa, look! These flowers are so pretty!" she said. She knelt down and took one of the flowers in her hand.

"Ready?" the big bunny said.

"Ready," the little bunny replied. The started drumming their feet on the ground. Within seconds, they heard something rumbling underneath them.

"Ooh, sounds like he heard us!" the little bunny said. They listened to the growing noise.

"Hey, Panic?" the big one said.

"What?" the little one said.

"Where's that noise coming from?" the big one said. He looked at the ground.

"Right below us… oh," Panic said. The two bunnies screamed and started to hop away, but the ground underneath them opened up. They clawed at the dirt and tumbled down out of sight.


	4. Persephone part 2

I didn't have to be so nervous. Greece was a very nice place. It was warm and sunny all the time, and the people were so friendly. We finished our lunch of delightful round bread sandwiches called "gyros" and browsed through an open market. There were so many things I'd never seen before. There were spices and robes and wonderful sculptures.

We stopped at a jewelry stall, and I admired the assortment of hammered bronze bracelets and decorations. I'd always preferred crystal before, but there was something so exotic and bold about the flat metal forms.

"Are you going to buy one?" Anna asked. I glanced at the waiting shopkeeper.

"Oh… I don't know," I said hesitantly. I crossed my arms.

"But they're so pretty. You never buy anything," Anna coaxed. I looked at the bracelet again.

_It's a diplomatic gesture, _I told myself. I hovered my hand above the shopkeeper's and dropped in a pile of coins.

_Please be enough. Please be enough, _I thought. The merchant looked at the coins in awe, looked back at me, sighed, and gave half of the coins back.

"Thanks. Have a nice day!" Anna said. I tucked the bracelet in my bag and retreated to another stall.

_See? It went fine. It was just a bracelet. You didn't have to get so worried._

After Anna had looked through every last stall, we slipped away into a quiet forest and admired the Grecian fauna. Anna led the way, pointing out all the interesting trees and any birds that flew by. I followed after and enjoyed the quiet. I wasn't even worried about how things were back home. Right now I was spending time with my little sister, and it was wonderful.

Up ahead there was a clearing. I sat down and ran my hands across the grass. It was nice to be alone with Anna after that bustling market. Something caught her eye, and she crouched down.

"Elsa, look!" Anna said as she wrapped her fingers around the stem of a delicate purple flower.

"I've never seen flowers like those," I said. The ground trembled slightly, and I started to get up.

"What was that?" I said. I walked closer to Anna. "Are there earthquakes in Greece? We'd better go." I took a step toward Anna. Then the ground split open and we both fell to the ground. I sprang to my feet and ran toward Anna, who was looking into the pit. I followed her eyes and gasped. Something in the hole was moving. Two black horses' hooves scrabbled at the edges of the pit. Two more followed after them, and then a black chariot. Then the driver appeared. His skin was blue and his eyes were yellow and sunken. Flames danced on top of his head. He rose from the earth in a long black robe.

_It's a Draugr, _I thought. _No, they're just a legend. It's death, _I thought. The Draugr reached toward Anna.

"Anna, no!" I screamed. I ran in front of her and pushed her aside. The draugr grabbed my waist and pulled me into the chariot. Anna screamed my name and grabbed at the lead horse. A clump of its hair ripped out in her hand as the Draugr pulled on the reins and guided the chariot back into the earth. I felt the ice welling up in my hands and directed it at Hades, but something stopped me.

_Anna's behind him. You'll hit Anna like _last time. _You already hurt her twice. _I curled my fingers and pressed my hands to my stomach. I shrank away from the Draugr's touch as we went deeper into the ground. I kept my eyes on Anna until there was another rumble and the ground closed up above us. It should have been dark, but there was a light coming from even farther below. I couldn't imagine what was making it, but I was going to find out.


	5. An Icy Reception

Hades POV

I stopped the chariot when we hit the ground and swept out arm to show my new bride we had arrived.

"Presenting the Underworld," I said. "It'll _knock you dead." _I waited expectantly for her response. She scurried off the chariot and turned to face me. She didn't look as happy as I'd hoped. Her arms were crossed tightly across her chest and her face was stiff.

"So… you must be Elsa," I said. I smiled as warmly as I could. She didn't say anything. _Wow, tough crowd. _I ran a hand over my firey hair and she shrank back.

"What, you never heard of Hades, god of death? The Underworld?" I tried. She slowly slid her hands down and tucked them into the folds of her dress.

"Do you expect me to be impressed?" she said.

"Well… maybe a little. I mean, I just burst out of the ground and swept you to the _underworld. _There are souls all floating around. My head's on fire. I mean, just look at that creepy skeleton guy," I said. I pointed out Charon on his boat.

"You cannot just kidnap people," Elsa said. "Return me at once."

"What, someone missing you? Women are a dime a dozen around here," I said.

"I am not just a woman, though that _would _be enough. I am a queen," she said.

"Oh, sorry, your majesty. I didn't notice the hordes of guards and the dazzling jewelry," I said.

"Simply return me and there will be no further action taken by my kingdom on Greece," she said.

"Look, doll, even if you _were _a queen, do I look like I care about war? I can always use some more souls around here," I said. Elsa tilted back her head and looked down her nose at me, even though I was taller.

"Very well. What are your demands?" she said.

"See, there are dozens of souls here, but all they do is float around and mope. I was looking for someone to tear the place up with, you know?" I leaned forward to drape an arm on her shoulder. She flinched back and drew herself in even tighter.

"Hey, what's the hang-up?" I asked. Meg may have hated my guys, but she knew where she stood.

"If you desire a friend, you have a poor method of making them," Elsa said.

"I was thinking more like a wife," I said. Elsa stared at me a long moment before speaking.

"You can't be serious," she said.

"As serious as the dog star," I said.

* * *

Elsa POV

The instant the chariot touched ground I leapt off and faced the draugr. What do they do when they catch their prey? The legends never got that far.

"Presenting the Underworld," it said. "It'll knock you dead." It seems they can talk. My hands were tingling and my palms were starting to ice over. I pressed them against my chest and tried to replace the fear with anger. When I was scared, the ice did as it would. With anger I had more control.

"So, you must be Elsa," it said. _How does it know? Oh, it heard Anna, _I thought. As soon as I was free of its touch I started feeling better. Then it put its hand to its burning head. I drew back at such insanity, but it seemed unharmed. _Don't let it know you're scared. It must want something. Put it in its place._

"What, you never heard of Hades, god of death? The underworld?" it said. It actually seemed surprised that I wasn't pleased it nearly killed my sister and dragged me under the ground. I lowered my eyelids imperiously and addressed it for the first time.

"Do you expect me to be impressed?" I said. The draugr- "Hades"- spewed banalities about the supposed terrors of this place. I wasn't scared of that. I just didn't want it to come near me again. I waited for him to finish. He obviously lacked the most basic common sense. Maybe he was too senseless to be much harm.

"You cannot just kidnap people," I explained. "Return me at once." Draugr or not, he was going to have to learn that.

"What, someone missing you? Women are a dime a dozen around here," he said. What a barbaric idea.

"I am not just a woman, thought that _would _ be enough," I said. "I am a queen."

"Oh, sorry, your majesty. I didn't notice the hordes of guards and the dazzling jewelry," he said. I didn't think he really believed me. I didn't know draugrs were so sarcastic. I ignored it and pressed on.

"Simply return me and there will be no further action taken by my kingdom on Greece," I said. Anna was probably already alerting the troops. They weren't due for another week, but she would find a way.

"Look, doll, even if you _were _a queen, do I look like I care about war? I can always use some more souls around here," he said. I knew he didn't care about bloodshed, but I had hoped fear would compel him to think more closely. Clearly I expected too much. Perhaps honey catches more flies than vinegar.

"Very well. What are your demands?" I said. The draugr complained about his domain, which wouldn't be a problem if he wasn't so repugnant. He leaned forward closer to me and reached out an arm. _Oh no, don't touch. You get away. You don't want to touch me, _I thought. I shrank back, and he retreated. I really didn't have any reason to want to spare him harm. It was as much for my comfort as his.

"Hey, what's the hang-up?" he said. The "hang-up" was that I did not like being pawed at by undead monsters.

"If you desire a friend, you have a poor method of making them," I said. The fear drained back down and the anger rose up.

"I was thinking more like a wife," he said. _Don't let him get to you. Conceal. He can't make you be his wife. Anna will come for you. _I forced myself to breathe regularly.

"You can't be serious," I said. I willed the tremor out of my voice.

"As serious as the dog star," it said. Whatever that meant.


	6. The Gods must be Crazy

Anna POV

"Elsa? _Elsa?!" _I shouted down into the hole my sister had disappeared into. I was about to jump in after her when the ground shook again, knocking me back to the ground. As I was scrambling back up, the two sides of the split crashed back together, blocking me out.

"No, Elsa!" I cried as I knelt over the seam in the ground. I dug frantically at the crack, but all I turned up was more dirt. _No, no, no…_

I stopped digging and tried to come up with a plan. That was more Elsa's thing. I preferred to take action and go from there. What would Elsa do?

_She'd be scared and all alone underground with a monster, _I thought. _What is she going to do? She's a great queen, but she's more fragile than she seems. She's probably terrified. I have to find her. _I stood up and started running back along the path. I didn't stop until I was back at the beach. I was breathing so hard I could barely stand, but that wasn't important. I flagged down the nearest rowboat and climbed in.

"Excuse me, I need you to take me to that ship," I said to the boat's owner. I shoved a handful of coins at him. He shrugged and started rowing. As soon as we reached the side of the ship I hauled myself onboard and rang the alarm bell. Sailors came pouring on to the deck.

"Elsa's been kidnapped," I told the captain. "We need to get to shore _now." _The crew wasted no time, and the ship was in the shallows within minutes. The captain let down a shoring boat and I jumped in.

"Excuse me, my lady, but shouldn't you stay on the ship? You're the heir apparent," he said.

"That won't be necessary. We'll find Queen Elsa," I said. He didn't argue. I told him the story as I led the guards to the fissure.

"There," I pointed out the scar on the ground. "She's down there."

"You hear her, men. Start digging!" the captain commanded. A few of the natives had heard the commotion and stood around watching us.

_Maybe they know what's going on, _I thought. I went up to the closest one.

"You, sir. A blue fire monster just dragged my sister down under the ground. Can you tell me anything about that?" I drew myself up and tried to look like a princess.

"A blue fire monster?" the man said. He looked at me like I'd said the sky was red. "Oh, do you mean Hades? He hardly ever comes up. You're better off leaving him alone."

"Who is this Hades?" I asked.

"What do you mean, who's Hades? He runs the underworld. He takes you after the Fates cut your lifeline. Lady, please, don't make him mad," the man said.

"I don't care who he is. He took my sister. How can I speak with him?" I asked.

"That's a job for the gods," the main said.

"Then where can I find the gods?" I persisted.

"They live up on Mount Olympus," he said, pointing to the mountain in the distance.

"Thank you," I said as I returned to the captain. I could hear the man yelling after me.

"No, wait! Humans aren't allowed up there!" he yelled.

"Too bad," I called back.

"Stay here and see what you can find," I said to the Captain. "I'll be back with reinforcements."

"Where are you going?" he said as I walked away.

"I'm climbing a mountain," I said.


	7. Go Ahead and Starve

Hades POV

Elsa looked pointedly ahead as I led her to my palace. Frankly, it was a little impressive that her expression was unchanged the whole way through, what with all the skulls and the three-headed dog. Maybe she _was _a queen. She certainly walked like one. I sure know how to pick them.

"Here's your room, my little flower," I said, gesturing toward a door. Elsa stepped inside and turned to face me.

"I suppose you'll-" She slammed the door in my face.

* * *

Elsa POV

I squeezed the frozen doorknob with cold fingers. It shattered, and the hinges started to frost over. My stoic mask melted and I waited, panting, until I heard Hades' footsteps retreating. I sank to the floor and sat with my back to it. It was a familiar position. I guess some things never change.

All the progress I'd made seemed to vanish in an instant. I was afraid if I got too scared I would hurt someone, and even if Hades deserved it, someone else might get caught in the crossfire. They always do. Of course, the fear that I would get scared just made it worse, and the only thing I could do was what I'd worked so hard to get free of- I had to hide my feelings away.

I laid my head against the cool door, willing its coldness to seep inside me. I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated on taking deep, slow breaths.

_Focus on the positives. Don't think about him. _The most positive thing, as always, was Anna. She would already be on her way to find me. _But what if she finds Hades? _My eyes snapped open and I looked out the window of my room, half expecting to find her here already. Anna wouldn't back down, and I didn't want her crossing paths with Hades. If he touched her I, I wouldn't be responsible for what happened next.

Anger was better than fear. With anger came control. I stood up and examined my room. It didn't seem to fit in with Hades' castle. Dark purple blankets with black trim covered a stone-framed bed. There was a rug with a man's face on it on the floor. When I rifled through the wardrobe, I found a few wispy dresses. A vase filled with dry flowers decorated the windowsill, and there was a dartboard on the wall. The rest of the furniture- a nightstand, a chaise longue, and a stone coffee table- was bare.

I looked out the window and tried to formulate a plan. I knew Anna would come eventually, but it would be optimal to get out before she did, so she wouldn't be in any danger. Hades called his kingdom the "Underworld", and the only figures I saw outside the window were some wispy, translucent shapes. They looked like ghosts from an old bedtime story.

_That's what they are. _I held my hands to my mouth and shuddered. This was where Greek souls went. Hades wasn't exaggerating. He really was the ruler of death. Whether he was a god I couldn't say, but I knew he wasn't mine.

The fear started creeping up again, and I shifted my thoughts to more productive channels. Obviously the Underworld was deep underground. I'd have to dig if I wanted out, and I had no idea how long that would take. Hades seemed to have no problem getting in and out. My best bet, as disgusting as it was, was to spend time with him and learn more. I straightened my dress and gathered my courage.

A knock at my door startled me, and I whirled around. It sounded oddly low, like Hades was on his stomach.

"Miss Elsa?" the voice definitely wasn't Hades. It was ridiculously gruff and scratchy, like its owner was constantly gargling. It also sounded close to the ground. Maybe it was a dwarf.

"Yes?" I said in my most imperious voice.

"The supreme ruler of the Underworld and most intelligent of the gods requests your company for dinner," it said. I knew it was a good idea, but I couldn't do it yet. I wasn't ready to leave my safe little room and be with anyone else.

"I am most grieved to say I shall not be coming," I said. The voice whispered something, and another, higher voice joined in.

"I knew she'd say that," the first one said.

"What are we gonna tell Hades?" the second one said.

"What are _you _gonna tell Hades," the first one said. I heard something scuttling down the hall.

"Hey!" the second voice said. There was a pause. "Uh... supreme ruler and all that stuff Hades also asks if you shall require anything?"

"_Gloves!" _I shouted before I could stop myself. "I shall require gloves."


	8. Dinner

Elsa POV

The dining hall was what I would have expected. There was a stark stone table with just two chairs. It was plain why Hades didn't have much company. I was merely surprised he even needed one other chair. My charming host was waiting at the head of the table when I entered. He made no move to pull out my chair, which was fine with me. A queen is capable of seating herself. I did so.

"Glad you could make it," Hades said. His constant jibes were nothing short of maddening.

"To my dismay, I had nothing better to do," I said. I folded my hands in my lap and stared levelly at Hades. He looked at me wide-eyed, and the flame on his head sputtered.

"Well, I wasn't aware you _had _a sense of humor," he said. He bared his sharp teeth in a half-smile and half-snarl.

"Pardon my impatience, but might we dispense with the formalities? I have no intention of staying here a moment longer than you force me. If you want companionship, I suggest that instead of kidnapping people, you attempt to be a more approachable person," I said.

"Approachable? Princess, I'm _hot," _Hades said. He fanned out his fingers as if provided fanfare for himself.

"Hey, how about some chow?" he interrupted his own chain of thought. He snapped his fingers and his tiny helpers paraded out carrying covered dishes. The blue one set his before me. He removed the cover to reveal a rather singed piece of meat.

"_Panic!" _Hades roared. The thing folded its tail under itself and scooted closer to the purple thing, who elbowed it.

"What? Was I supposed to give the burned one to him?" Panic whispered to his friend. They started to bicker as Hades, who was slowly turning red, looked on.

"GET OUT!" he bellowed, making me start in my chair. Panic and his companion scuttled from the room like two cockroaches. Hades swept a hand over his flaming hair and took a deep breath.

"Moving on..." he began. He swept the cover off of the largest dish with a grandiose flourish, revealing a multi-layer cake that appeared to have been soaked in something. He looked up at me like he'd produced the holy grail. I refused to be impressed.

"Hold on, hold on," he said. He snapped his fingers and a tiny flame appeared on his index finger. He held it near the cake and it burst into flames.

"How about that?" he said with his snaggly grin. It was going to be a long night.

Hades POV

Something wasn't right about that chick. Meg hadn't been much more talkative, but it was different with her. She just didn't respect me, and maybe hated me a bit. Elsa was just _cold. _No banter, no side-eye... she might as well have been a statue. If it wasn't for that one burn, I'd have thought she was hopeless.

After my lovely guest politely picked at a single piece of cake, she made it clear she was ready to retire for the night. I tried to be a gentleman and take her arm, but she shied away like I was a scorpion.

"Come on, doll, why the cold shoulder? And why the gloves? Isn't it hot enough down here?" I pulled at one of her gloves.

"_Don't touch that!" _she shrieked. Her cold exterior melted in an instant and she looked as scared as she should have looked when I kidnapped her. She jerked her hand away, folded both hands behind her back, and backed away from me. She pressed her lips together regally and tried to glare at me, but I could see tears in her eyes.

"Wow, you all right?" I asked. I might be abrasive, but I didn't expect _that _to happen. Elsa turned and ran down the hall, disappearing around a corner.

_That did not go as expected, _I thought. _What's the big deal? It's just a glove._ Obviously, Elsa was nothing like Meg. She was going to require an entirely different approach. I wasn't sure I could do gentle or understanding, but if she needed a little more convincing, I could make that work. I'd just be careful to never touch her gloves.


	9. An Innocent Gift

Hades POV

_Women. How do they work? What attracts them? _Zeus just went after anything that moved, whether they wanted him or not. Adonis had those sparkling abs, and no one knew _what _on Earth attracted Aphrodite to Hephaestus. I had my rugged good looks and my cutting wit, but for some reason Elsa wasn't going for it. What more did she want?

_Aha! _I had it. Chicks didn't just want a handsome man. They wanted a _rich _one. They wanted jewels and sparkly baubles and all that other garbage. They wanted to be showered in presents. I could do that. But what would Elsa go for?

I hunted around the palace for something ladylike and fancy. Most of my stuff was dead or dying, and Meg didn't go for pretty things, so it wasn't easy. Then, underneath a pile of junk I'd forgotten to throw out, I found something that might work. It was a silver urn with a woman's face etched into it. Somehow silver seemed to suit Elsa more than gold anyway, and it was either that or a moldy belt. I polished the metal with my sleeve and held it aloft. I carried it down the hall and knocked on Elsa's door. She opened it a crack and peeked out at me.

"Hey Toots, I got you something," I said with my most charming smile. I held up the urn. She opened the door enough to take it and looked it over.

"What is this for?" she asked. Even with her gloves on she avoided my fingers. I'm not _that _slimy. Her eyes fell on something etched inside the urn and she tilted it for a closer look. A cloud of gray dust fell out all over her hands, and a soft moan emanated from the urn.

"What was _that?" _she gasped.

"The last occupant, I suppose," I said. I saw the realization dawn in her eyes and she jumped back, drew in her breath sharply, shoved the urn at me, wiped her gloves on her skirt and slammed the door shut.

_What happened? Everything was going so well, _I thought. Crazy dame.

* * *

Anna POV

I hauled myself up the rocky slope, ignoring the cuts on my hands and the chill in the air. A few locals had shouted at me when I started, warning me that it was forbidden for mortals to set foot on the mountain and that the gods would strike me down. Let them try.

I didn't have any mountaineering skill or equipment, so I wasn't far up the slope before the sun set. I leaned against one of the few thin trees and stopped to rest. I didn't plan to spend the night, but I barely had enough energy to keep crawling. It was so dark I could hardly keep from falling anyway. I didn't sleep as much as wait for the sun to rise so I could keep going.

Before I climbed much farther the next day I noticed the air was getting thinner. It was harder to breathe, and I had to stop more than I wanted. I pressed on with aching muscles and stiff limbs, cursing myself for being so weak when Elsa needed my help.

As I was pulling myself up a sheer cliff, I heard something above me. It sounded like an animal, and I hoped it wasn't a bear. I got to the clifftop and peeked over. A grassy plateau stretched out in front of me. There were no bears in sight, but there _was _a herd of horses. That would have been odd enough, but that wasn't all. They also had wings.

_What on Earth are those? Can they actually fly? _I thought as I tipped forward on my stomach and slid onto the grass. A brown horse flapped its wings and rose into the air, answering my question. The movement stirred my hair and I watched it soar over my head. It gave me a most wonderful idea.

"Hey, horse! Giddy up!" I yelled as I ran toward the closest one, a small horse with white and brown splotches. I vaulted onto its back and it whinnied, tossing its head and trying to buck me off. I grabbed onto its main and pressed against it. Like it or not, this horse was going to take me to the top of the mountain. The horse jumped up and flapped around, twisting and dipping. My stomach lurched but I rode it out until the horse tired and landed back on the ground. It curled its neck around and looked at me forlornly, like it was awaiting its fate.

"That's better. Sorry I jumped on you. I'll let you go as soon as I'm done, all right?" I said as I tugged on its mane to point it toward the mountaintop. I spurred it on with my heels and we were off like a shot.


	10. A Slight Improvement

Elsa POV

After the first day was over, it was clear I would be stuck here for some time. Hades' imps made an attempt at offering to show me around, but it was clear they were as scared of me as I was apprehensive of them. I managed to explore one wing of the castle before Hades found me and insisted on accompanying me.

"I see everything follows the same theme," I commented as we passed another carved skeleton.

"I try. I'm the god of death, this is the land of the dead, and all that. Over ten million served," Hades said.

"It isn't very cheerful," I said.

"Wait until you see Tartarus," Hades said. I didn't think I wanted to. I looked out a window at an unexpected bit of green in the corner of my eye. I was shocked when I saw it was a tree.

"What is that?" I asked. Hades followed my gaze and seemed bored.

"That's just the garden," he said.

"May I see it?" I asked. Hades' flame glowed brighter for a minute and he seemed surprised. I was a little surprised myself. I didn't usually prefer the openness of outdoors to the safety of my room. Often I longed to go out and enjoy the world freely, but I didn't know if it would ever be easy.

"All right, if you can contain yourself," he said. I rolled my eyes internally. Just because I'm cool doesn't mean I don't understand sarcasm. Hades led me outside to a courtyard with a small assortment of plants. Tiny purple flowers dotted the patches of grass, and white flowers with yellow centers rimmed a pool that reflected the single apple dangling from a tree above it. It the center of it all was the tree I'd seen. There were round pink fruits on its branches.

"You like it?" Hades asked, more like he was surprised at the possibility than he wished my approval.

"It's lovely," I said. It was the only thing I'd seen in this wretched place that held any life or innocence.

"I don't come out here much. Last time I did it took the place months to grow back," Hades said. That sealed it. If this was the place were Hades was not, this was the place I preferred. Hades surprised me by leaving a few minutes later. Perhaps I judged him too harshly.

_No, I have not judged him harshly enough. He is a kidnapper and a vagabond, _I thought. But why then did he even have something lovely like the garden, and why did he remove himself for my comfort? Perhaps with all his faults, he was not a complete monster. I could not fathom the insanity that would make anyone think kidnapping a woman would please her, but if that was truly what he thought, he was a madman and not a villain. For a madman I could have pity, and perhaps even compassion. It wasn't much, but it was a step up from hate.

* * *

Hades POV

Finally, Elsa wasn't completely emotionless. Maybe she had good reason, but she was such a drag. She looked much more appealing when she smiled. Maybe the stupid garden was good for something after all. Without a word, Elsa managed to make it clear she wished to be alone, and I didn't want to press my luck. I retreated to my throne room to plan further.

_This dame, _I thought. _She doesn't like presents, but she likes flowers. She huddles in her room but goes outside the first chance she gets. She obviously hates my guts but she's endlessly polite. I just wanted a little companionship. I _had _to kidnap the most difficult woman who ever lived._

All I wanted was a little companionship. My idiot brother was swimming in women. Why did I have to bribe the first woman to come near me and kidnap the second? It wasn't my looks- Zeus proved that. Were they intimidated by my cutting wit? Were they too _good _for the god of death? I remembered the joy in Elsa's eyes as she looked at the flowers and how much life it seemed to give the Underworld. _That _was what I was looking for. Clearly I would have to make her happy more often. If only that wasn't so complicated.


	11. The Secret's Out

Anna POV

This was a lot easier now that I had a horse. My mount had quieted down and seemed resigned to carrying me. I felt bad hijacking him, but what could I do? The top of the mountain came into sight and I squinted to see it better. It looked like some sort of cloud city. I could see why "gods" would want to live there. Whatever they were, they had some explaining to do.

Suddenly my horse shied back and pawed at the air. "Hey!" I cried as I tried to straighted him out. He tossed his head and whinnied. He folded his wings and started to plummet. I pressed my feet into his side and tried to haul him upwards, but he was having none of it. He tilted sideways and before I could grab onto his mane I slid right off him and crashed to the ground. I was lucky I landed on a bit of snowy ground instead of rock, or I'd have really been in trouble. Once he was free of me, the horse turned tail and fled like the hounds were after him.

"What was that?" I called after him. "Fine! I'll do it myself." I was practically at the top anyway. I could walk there in minutes, and then I'd get to the bottom of this.

* * *

Hades POV

_Where do I go from here? All right, what do I have so far? A. Elsa doesn't like me. B. She really doesn't like anyone. C. She seems scared of something, and not just the whole kidnapping her and bringing to her to the Underworld thing. Why would anyone be scared of me? I'm a cool guy. Handsome, too._

Obviously, I was going to have to find out more about my guest. She wasn't it making it any too easy. She was about as talkative as that lug Hephaestus. What does Aphrodite see in him? I snuck closer to the garden to see if I could overhear anything. Elsa was sitting by one of the nightshade flowers, running her fingers along its petals. _Wait, her _fingers?

"You have _hands?" _I commented. Elsa, who hadn't noticed me until that genius move, clenched the flower in her fist and jerked her hand back. There was a soft hiss and suddenly the flower was covered in a blue sheen. She looked down at it and gasped. Her eyes filled with fear and she dropped it as she grabbed her glove and yanked it over her hand.

"Oh. I didn't expect that," I said as I picked up the flower. Elsa backed away like I'd caught her standing over a dead body. She looked like she was about to cry.

"What's wrong? You can freeze things. What's so bad about that?" I asked. It wasn't like it was a huge deal. I was the lord of the dead, after all. My brother threw lightning and my other brother... well, Poseidon _was _pretty boring.

"It's none of your business," Elsa snapped. She seemed to bristle and gather herself in case she had to defend against an attack. I held up my hands.

"Fine. I just thought it was kind of neat," I said. She remained alert.

"You know, that seems like something that would come up when some guy kidnaps you. Why didn't you do anything then?" I asked. Elsa folded her arms.

"You wouldn't understand," she said.

"Seems pretty simple. Some nut attacks you, you freeze his butt," I said.

"I've caused enough trouble," she said. "Excuse me." She turned and almost fled into the castle even as she pretended she was regally marching. What was with this girl? If Meg could do something like that, I'd be an icicle. This answered some questions but raised so many more.


	12. Out Of My Way

Elsa POV

He knew. Oh god, he knew. No one was supposed to know. I wasn't supposed to let anyone. I shut the door and curled up beside it like I'd done so many times. My breath came in pants as I tried t hold it together and not do something terrible. Everyone knew back home, of course. It even ended up being for the best. But so many things went wrong first. I hurt so many people, worst of all Anna. She got better, but I'd never forget the moment my blast slammed into her and I knew everything I spent my life trying to prevent had come true.

There was something I didn't understand, though. Why wasn't Hades upset? I was a freak and now he knew it. He didn't even seem surprised. Was he that unfathomable? Did he not understand, or did he really not care? Was this country so strange that this was _normal _here?

Even under all the apprehension and guilt, it felt altogether new to find someone who didn't think I was abnormal. It seems I fell in with the only man on Earth who was stranger than I was. If it wasn't all so terrible, it would almost be freeing.

There was a sound at the door and in an instant what little comfort I'd achieved was gone.

"You okay?" Hades asked. I flinched at the sound.

"I'm fine. Go away. Please," I said. I felt the door growing cold at my touch and tried not to panic. I could almost hear his hesitation, and then he walked away.

_That was nice of him. _The thought came out of nowhere. Most people pester and pry. _Why do you want to be alone? _I _don't bother you, do I? Just come on out. It's easy. _He actually left me alone, and that was the best thing he could have done. I knew he wanted to talk more. He _always _liked to talk. He must have not only realized I wished to be alone, but actually cared enough to do it. He'd expected me to just fall into his arms, but when I didn't, he was still pursuing me. Was it possible he really cared about me? He was horrible at showing it, but maybe he just didn't know better. In any case, whether he meant to or not, he'd stumbled upon the only way he could ever hope for me to return his feelings. By leaving me alone, he left me free to open myself up at my pace and not his. Romance was impossible, of course, but maybe friendship wasn't.

* * *

Anna POV

I wasn't sure how I was going to walk into the city, since it was a cloud, but it proved easy enough. I jumped right on and it was solid. It looked mostly like the country had at ground level, but with more gold and fancy buildings. It didn't take long for someone to greet me. Normally I would be surprised if a blue-skinned, glowing man flew right up to me, but not anymore.

"Who are you?" I asked. The man fluttered around me and flipped around at all angles to look at me.

"What do you mean who am I?" he asked. "I'm _Hermes, _babe! Messenger, party animal, chick magnet. The real question is who are _you?" _

"I am Princess Anna of Arendelle," I said. "I need to speak with your king." Hermes continued his frenetic movements. I would have been amused, but I didn't have the time.

"What, you think you can just walk into Olympus and talk to Zeus?" he asked.

"Yes," I said firmly. "Please take me to him." Hermes held up a finger, then stopped.

"All right, fine. Chill," he said. He flew ahead of me and I followed him to the steps of an especially ornate open building. An enormous staircase wound back and forth up to its front.

"Hey, why aren't you glowing?" Hermes asked. He floated on his back and drifted in front of me.

"Why would I be glowing?" I asked. Hermes floated upright and scratched his head.

"You must be from somewhere really far out. _All _gods glow. Where the heck _is _Arendelle?" he said.

"I'm not a _god. _I'm a human," I said. Hermes reared back dramatically.

"You're a _mortal?! _You're not allowed here! What do you think you're doing?" he asked. Blue sparks shot out from him.

"Rescuing my sister," I said. We were almost at the foot of the building. Hermes flew in front of me and held out his hands.

"Woah, woah. No humans allowed," he said. "Olympus rules."

"Too bad," I said. I stepped around him and marched into the building.


	13. I Need A Hero

Elsa POV

Hades was oddly and mercifully silent when I finally ventured out to eat. A queen must always remember her status and her duties. No matter how much I wanted to stay in my room, I had to keep up appearances. I certainly had enough experience hiding my feelings.

"So," Hades broke in after a long silence. "What's the big deal about freezing stuff?" Of course I'd expected it, but I still didn't know what to say.

"It's nothing you'd understand," I said.

"What, because you're weird? I'm blue, my head's on fire, and oh, I'm the god of _death. _I understand weird," he said.

"The god of death wouldn't understand someone who values life and so often destroys it," I said.

"It's not like I asked to be corpse boy, you know. Ask Zeus about that," Hades said. Whoever Zeus was, it was obvious Hades didn't like him. "Maybe I wanted to rule the sky. Heck, even the sea would be better than this."

"You don't have anyone either, do you?" Besides Anna, I was alone. So was he. That didn't excuse his actions, but it explained them. I could understand someone who, after a lifetime of isolation, didn't quite mesh with the world.

"You don't let anyone in. No one _wants _to be with me. So which is worse? I don't know. I'm just the corpse boy," Hades said. His flame flickered and that satisfied smirk returned.

"Want to know the worst part? Even if I got my revenge, they'd just come down here. I'd have to look at them every day," he said. There was something so absurdly, pathetically poignant about it that I couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Anna POV

All that building had inside it was a giant throne and a giant sitting on it. What a waste of space. Like everyone in Olympus, the man was glowing. He wore a sort of white dress and he had the strangest curly beard I'd ever seen. He saw me come in and smiled.

"Hello, mortal! What brings you here? Do you seek a boon?" he asked so loudly the building shook.

"No... sort of," I said. I tried to appear like the princess I was. "Your comrade Hades has kidnapped my sister. I wish your assistance in getting her back."

"Hades?!" the man reared back and leaped off of his chair. "Has he been making trouble again? Great thunder." He stepped past me and I ran to get out of the way. He started lumbering down the steps and a darted after him.

"Wait! What are you going to do?" I asked. He turned around like he'd just noticed me and laughed.

"Oh, right. I didn't even ask who you were," he said.

"I'm Anna, princess of Arendelle. Who are you?" I asked.

"Who am _I?" _I jumped as lightning shot out of the man's head. "Where you raised by wolves? I'm _Zeus, _king of the gods!"

"I'm honored," I said as I bowed politely. "What are you going to do about Hades?"

"I'm going to march right down there... oh," Zeus said. His face fell and his ferociously upraised arm stopped still. "I'm not allowed in the underworld."

"Not allowed? You're the king of the gods," I said. This was wasting precious time.

"My brothers and I have a deal. I run the sky, Poseidon runs the ocean, and Hades got the Underworld. It's just the rules," Zeus said. He held out his hands like a toddler.

"Well, send someone else," I said.

"Great idea! But who?" Zeus asked. Like I had any idea. Luckily, someone volunteered.

"I'll go," a man called from behind us.

"There's hero boy for you," a woman added exasperatedly. I turned and saw a strong-looking man with orange hair and bronze armor standing next to a woman in a purple dress leaning against a wall.

"Thank you!" I said as I ran to the man. "May I ask your name, kind sir?"

"Call me Hercules."


	14. Revelation

Hades POV

Why was everything I thought about Elsa always wrong? I thought she'd like presents and she threw them away. I thought she'd like a devilishly handsome man and she pushed _me _away. I gave her flowers and let her out of her room. What more was there?

Meg might have been infuriating, but at least she was consistent. I always knew she despised me outwardly and couldn't squash a tiny smolder of desire inside. Why wasn't Elsa like that? Why wasn't she outspoken, or sassy, or cutting, or dismissive? I had no idea what to do with this maddening woman.

_Elsa _isn't _Meg._

That was it. That was it all this time. Elsa wasn't Meg_. _Elsa was _Elsa. _She was different. Maybe _all _women were different. For ages I'd thought I was the only one with half a brain around here. There were all the other harp-strumming self-proclaimed "good guys" and then there was me. Maybe I wasn't the only different one. Elsa was certainly different from anyone I knew. Even the saps in Olympus had a few differences. All this time I was going about it the wrong way.

_But what's the right way? _With Meg I could say anything I wanted. If she didn't like it she'd just throw it back at me. There wasn't much that fazed her, but everything fazed Elsa. She was skittish. That was one thing I'd have to change. I couldn't just go up to her at any time. She wouldn't be ready sometimes. I'd have to rein in my charm and humor and make sure she was ready first. I had to adjust my schedule so she wouldn't be overwhelmed.

Then there was the touching. Meg let me know when I went too far, but she tolerated me cupping her chin or things like that. That was clearly not the case with Elsa. She must have had some past to be so scared of the slightest contact. If we were going to get serious it would have to change, but the most important thing I realized about Elsa was that change had to happen at her pace. Really, that was all I needed to know. I had to do things cautiously enough that she would be comfortable.

It was like a new start. I resolved to find something that would make Elsa, not Meg, happy. It felt strange and oddly thrilling to try to make someone else happy and know that I could. Meg would like something exciting like riding Scylla. But Elsa was different. Elsa would want something quiet. Something orderly and something where she could leave if she needed to. Something like a walk. A peaceful walk around the Underworld. That is what Elsa would like, and that is what I would give her.

* * *

Anna POV

Meg and Hades must have had quite the past. When she heard about our plans, she immediately called Hades a "disgusting snake" and said that she'd rather kiss all of the hydra's heads than see him again. She elected to stay behind in Olympus while Hercules and I went after Hades.

With Hercules' horse it was a quick journey back to the spot where Elsa vanished. When we landed, the ground was undisturbed and grass grew serenely over the place where the hole had been.

"It was right here. But it's gone now," I said to Hercules. "Can you get down there?"

"It's easier just to go to the entrance," he said.

"There's an _entrance?" _I asked.

"Yeah, right where the Acheron, the Cocytus, the Phlegethon, the Styx, and the Lethe come together," he said.

"Um... is that close?" I asked.

"Closer than it should be," he said. "Come on." he boosted me back on his horse on hopped on.

It turned out all those funny words were rivers. Five rushing rivers converged in one spot, leading up to a shadowy, menacing tunnel. I was about to wade across the river when Hercules stopped me.

"You have to take the ferry," he said.

"What ferry-" I started. I looked up and out of nowhere a robed man stood on a small boat. He held out his hand.

"You have to give him a coin," Hercules explained. I rustled through my pockets and shoved the first coin I touched into his hand, which was ice cold. We both stepped into the boat and the man pushed us across with a pole. As soon as we stepped out of the boat, the man vanished. Hercules stopped me again before I could charge into the tunnel.

"What?" I demanded. The tunnel was scary enough without hesitating.

"Once you get in there, you're not allowed to talk until we reach the other side. If you do, you vanish," he said.

"Oh. Okay," I said. I stepped inside the tunnel and promptly almost vanished myself by nervously starting to attempt small talk. This was going to be harder than it looked.


	15. Another Perspective

Elsa POV

Something was different about Hades lately. He hadn't knocked on my door all day and when I saw him at breakfast he didn't try to fill every silence with banter. He seemed to be doing it for my benefit, and I appreciated it more than he knew.

I felt so secure with this new, gentler Hades that I actually left my room and explored some more of the castle on my own. I wanted to know more about the Underworld and Greece in general, so when I found a library, I stepped inside. Most of the books were tattered and gray, and I hoped the chair by the wall wasn't really made out of bones. I looked through the rows and read the titles.

_History of the Gods, _one said. I slid that one off the shelf and sat in the ivory chair. I opened it and saw that it was the entire Greek creation story. It began with Chaos, then Gaea, then Cronus and his children. I skimmed until I saw that two of Cronus' children were Zeus and Hades.

_That's where they began, _I thought. I read further, past a gruesome story involving cannibalism and trickery, and saw what happened after Hades and Zeus grew older. If the book was to be believed, Hades was telling the truth. Zeus, Hades, and their brother Poseidon were supposed to divide godship between themselves, but Zeus tricked them both and took the best for himself. Poseidon got ownership of the ocean and Hades was left to rule over the dead. That didn't excuse his flaws, but it did explain them.

The next page was covered with illustrations of the three brothers. Zeus was majestically wreathed in clouds and lightning, and he was wrapping his arms around adoring crowds of people. Poseidon was stirring up a terrible storm and all the sea creatures were bowing before him. Hades stood apart. His picture was done in black and red ink. He was grinning widly over a deep pit ringed with struggling, cowering victims. They reached out to the clouds, where Zeus was looking down in pity.

_That's not what it's like, _I thought. "Gods" or not, that wasn't the way it was. If Zeus was that powerful, why didn't he help his pleading subjects? And Hades wasn't a cruel monster. Thanks t a rigged lottery, it was his _job _to rule the dead. He didn't torment them. It wasn't his fault they died. The other "gods" threw him into the underworld and turned their backs on him. I could see why someone branded a monster could eventually become one. I read deeper into the book, and I learned more with each page.

* * *

Anna POV

It's hard to get to know someone when you can't talk to them. There are so many things you can't do when you can't talk. You can't joke, you can't ask questions, you can't chat or sing to pass the time. It was like Hercules and I were walking to a funeral. Everything was gloomy and silent.

I didn't even know Hercules. We'd barely met and there we were tramping through the Underworld. I tried to figure out all I could by looking him over. Clearly he was a warrior, and he was glowing, so he was whatever everyone else in Olympus was. He _really _didn't like Hades, judging from his expression. The woman with him had the same reaction. Maybe that had something to do with it.

I had a few close calls along the way. One time I tripped and almost cried out. Another time I saw a really interesting stalactite and wanted to show Hercules, but I remembered in time. I also got a little nervous and geared up to whistle, which would have been really embarrassing. I almost sighed in relief when I saw the end of the tunnel.

It wasn't empty, though. There was a woman standing in the center of the path. It was the woman who was with Hercules earlier. Meg, I think it was. She saw Hercules and beckoned him closer. She looked over her shoulder and back at him frantically.

_What? How did she get here so fast? _I thought. _Wait a minute. _We were a step away from the end of the tunnel. I jerked my head sideways and looked at Hercules. He was about to open his mouth and call out to her. _Oh no you dont!_

I ran forward and smashed into Hercules from behind. He was a big man and I was a small woman, but I had enough momentum to knock him forward the two feet we needed to reach safety. "Meg" vanished when we reached the end.

"Good thinking," Hercules said.

"Thanks," I said. No disgusting snake was going to trick _me _that easily. I didn't expect the giant three-headed dog, though.


	16. Thinking Outside the Box

Anna POV

I don't know how we missed it. Twenty feet from the end of the tunnel there was a huge, black hellhound dragging a thick chain behind him. At first I was glad to see the chain, but then I saw that though the tunnel had widened into a larger chamber, the chain was long enough that we couldn't get past the dog without facing attack. And it _did _look like an attack dog. It was dark as night and its shoulder was as high as my waist. It also had three heads, all of which were growling at us.

"What is _that?" _I asked Hercules, who was already getting out his sword.

"It's Cerberus. He guards the underworld," he said.

"What, the skeleton guy and the vanishing tunnel wasn't enough?" I asked. Cerberus barked and threw himself at us, snapping back at the end of his chain. I shied back even though I knew he couldn't reach.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of this," Hercules said. When he attacked, I got the feeling they'd met before. Cerberus drew back a step and almost whimpered before he started fighting back. One of his heads bit Hercules' sword arm and Hercules threw him against the ground. They started wrestling, Hercules punching and pounding the heads in turn as the others snapped at him. I wanted to help, but I was afraid I'd get in the way. It was horrible watching them fight, and it was even worse when blood started to flow. When Cerberus' left head yipped and he started whining and scrabbling, I couldn't bear it.

"Wait!" I cried. "Maybe there's another way." Hercules disengaged himself and retreated, while Cerberus slunk against a wall and started licking his wounds.

"Hold on. You might not have to fight," I said. Before we left Olympus, Zeus insisted on giving us some supplies and presents. He said Greece was famous for its hospitality and he wouldn't be outdone. I checked my pocket and took out a little almond cake with honey drizzled on top. You catch more flies that way, after all.

"You're not..." Hercules started as I crouched down and held out the cake. Cerberus sniffed the air. He looked at the cake and at me, then stepped forward. He growled at Hercules, who looked aside like he didn't notice. Cerberus crept closer until he was only feet away. I stood just at the end of his chain, so I should have been safe, but it was still unnerving seeing three heads full of teeth right next to my hand. I snatched my hand back just as he bit and he gobbled the cake down. He sniffed at me more and I carefully stretched out my hand until it was touching him. He didn't pull back, and I scratched behind his ears.

"There. You're a nice dog, aren't you? We just want to get past," I said. Cerberus started to wag his tail, and he licked my hand. I gave him another cake and started walking with him to the other side of his chain. Hercules looked on in bemusement and followed after. Cerberus growled in his throat and they watched each other, but he let him pass. He barked as we started to continue. I waved at him.

"I'll be back on the way out!"

* * *

Hades POV

Something was going down. The spirits were restless. It had happened a few times before, and it always meant someone unwelcome was coming. First there was Orpheus. That guy could never catch a break. One time it was some crazy prince from an entirely different kingdom, saying he was looking for his friend. I didn't even have jurisdiction there, so I kicked him out. And then there was Hercules. The less said about that, the better. I sent Pain and Panic to check for intruders, for all the good it would do. Those two would probably lead the way.

I had intended to wait outside Elsa's door and prepare a non-frightening message, but she surprised me. The door was open for the first time since she'd come. I had to stop at the end of the hall and rehearse. I gathered my thoughts and went in. I knocked on the open door and waited outside.

"Hey ice queen, want to see some more of the Underworld?" I asked. I heard Elsa move around and waited. I hadn't turned into an angel overnight. If she said no I still intended to pout and kick things. I was just going to wait until I was out of sight.

"I'd like that," she said. "Just a minute." She appeared by the door, still wearing her gloves. Always the gloves. Didn't she know when to cut loose? Before we even got started, I had a thousand things to remember. _Don't crowd her. She'll want you to stay a step away. Don't talk too much but don't leave big gaps for her to fill. I swear, ever since Pandora first came on the scene, women have been nothing but trouble._


	17. Climax

Anna POV

I knew we were close when we saw those two creepy animals from before. I knew there was something strange about those bunnies. Hercules recognized them right away when we noticed them lurking on a ledge over our heads. We were about to go after them when they leaned too far over and fell off the ledge into a river, where they floated away. I didn't expect it to be that easy, but apparently they were just really that dumb. More importantly, it meant we were close. After hours of going down various tunnels, we reached the center of the Underworld. I saw a castle in the middle of an island and ran for it with Hercules following and calling after me.

I reached the door and pounded the bone knocker. No one answered.

"Hey! Open up!" I yelled. Whoever was in there had some explaining to do. Hercules caught up and pointed to one side.

"Let's go around this way," he said. We walked around the castle walls looking for a way in. When I heard voices, I didn't hesitate. I ran forward and found an open arch leading to a garden. Inside the garden was sister-snatching Hades, and next to him was Elsa.

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Hades POV

Wouldn't you know it, Pain and Panic screwed up. Why did I even keep them around? I heard the trespassers before I saw them through the arch. There I was, just minding my own business in my garden with Elsa. She'd just started preparing a pomegranate she picked, which she'd taken off one glove to peel. and we were discussing Elysian Fields, which I'd showed her. We weren't going to go to Tartarus until... never.

I was surprised to see the intruder was the woman I'd intended to kidnap in the first place. Looked like I lucked out- she was far too bold for my taste. Elsa was much more subtle. I had to give her credit, though. She got past Charon and Cerberus to get here, and she didn't so much as blink when she saw me. Really, she just looked furious.

"Let her go!" she yelled as she ran toward Elsa.

"Anna?" Elsa said. She stood up and ran toward the woman. They smashed together and hugged like I didn't Elsa was capable of.

"Are you all right?" they both asked at once.

"Of course I'm all right! What about you?" Anna asked.

"How did you get here? You shouldn't have come. It's not safe," Elsa said.

"Of course I was going to come. Now let's go. I brought help," Anna said. Meanwhile Hercules had his eye on me.

"Oh, it's lover boy. Did you lose Meg again? I haven't seen her," I said.

"Just let her go," he said. He never did quite match my wit. Elsa and Anna were still talking.

"It's not like that," Elsa said. That got my attention, and I turned away.

"Stay away from her," Hercules said.

"Cool it, hothead. Maybe she doesn't want to go," I said.

"What?" Anna said.

"What have you done to her?" Hercules said. He started closer. If that's what he wanted, he was about to find out whether he was really immortal. Elsa saw what was happening and stepped toward us.

"No, wait!" she said. Hercules reached for his sword and she flung out her arm. A thin bolt of ice shot out and hit me, and Elsa just lost it.

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Elsa POV

I didn't realize my hand was bare until it was too late. I saw the man about to attack Hades and instinctively reached out. I saw my glove was off just as ice shot from my hand toward Hades. My nightmare came true all over again and the bolt hit Hades in the chest. I gasped and yanked my hand back, trapping it against myself under my other hand. I recoiled and my heart stopped.

_Not again. _I should never have opened up. I hurt everyone I loved. Could Hades even undo the damage? There was no one he loved. I'd killed the first person in months who wasn't terrified of me. They were right about me.

"Hey," Hades said. He brushed at the place I'd hit. A tiny tendril of steam rose from the spot. He looked at me.

"You all right?" he asked. Hercules, who had seen my reaction, had broken off his attack and everyone was looking at me.

"You're not hurt?" I asked. Hades certainly _seemed _unaffected, but maybe it was just delayed.

"What, by a snowflake? Babe, I'm made of fire," Hades said. "If that's all you got, you don't have to worry."

I didn't want to hope. It seemed too perilous. Ignoring Anna's look, I stepped closer to Hades and looked at the place I'd hit. Aside from a tiny damp spot, there was no damage. Anna stood behind me glaring daggers at Hades.

"I didn't hurt you," I said. I'd found the one person in the world I didn't have to worry about.

"See, you don't have to wear those. Try it," Hades said. He held up a hand. I knew I was safe with Anna. We'd known each other forever. With anyone else, either I was too scared or they were. I brushed one finger against Hades' hand. It sizzled, and my hand felt warmer than it ever had. Nothing terrible happened, and I pressed my whole hand against his. It just felt warm, warmer than I'd felt in a long time.


	18. Epilogue

Elsa POV

When Anna saw my smile, she knew the danger was over. She stuck close to me and kept an eye on Hades, but we were all able to step back and talk things over like civilized people.

"I suppose I could have left a long time ago," I said. Practically speaking, Hades wouldn't have been able to stop me if I'd set my mind to it. I'd just been afraid I'd hurt the shadowy people living in the Underworld.

"You_ liked _it here?" Anna asked. She looked around at the gloomy surroundings.

"It was peaceful. I didn't have to worry about anyone. Of course I missed you, though," I said.

"What about you?" Hercules said to Hades. "Get lonely after your slave busted out?"

"She'll be back," Hades said.

"She's immortal," Hercules said. Hades sneered.

"I upgraded anyway," he said. Hercules started to get back up.

"Stop it, both of you!" Anna said. The two of them quieted down and sulked at each other.

"But you're coming back now, right?" Anna said. Hades looked at me.

"Yes, I have to go back," I said. Obviously, I couldn't leave a country without a queen, besides a thousand other reasons. Anna noticed Hades' reaction and gasped.

"Wait, are you two...?" she asked.

"_What? _We barely know each other! We can't be anything yet," I said. I folded my arms and knew I was blushing.

"Yeah, she practically hates me," Hades gloated. Anna glared at him.

"Then let's go. This place is creepy," she said. I nodded.

"Of course, there's an opportunity for diplomatic expansion," I said. "And there's the matter of the law I broke."

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Hades POV

_Broken law? _Elsa never even let her hair down. There was no way she broke a law. Not Goody-Two Shoes Miss Manners Elsa.

"You broke the law? Anyway, he _kidnapped _you. Whatever it was, it doesn't matter," Anna said. Elsa waved her arm.

"I'm a guest in this kingdom. I simply must abide by the law. While I was here, I had time to read multiple books about this nation. It is forbidden for any living soul to consume anything grown in the Underworld," she said. She bent over and picked up the fruit she'd discarded earlier.

"Unfortunately, I forgot myself and ate a seed from this pomegranate. The punishment for breaking this law is clear. In proportion to how much is eaten, the lawbreaker must remain in the Underworld," she said.

"They can't make you stay here!" Anna said.

"I doubt anyone would enforce the law, and if I chose not to obey they don't have the force to make me. I shall instead make a diplomatic gesture. I have eaten one seed. I shall therefore return to this place once per year. It will be a time of political connection and recreation. _If _you'll have me," she said, looking at me.

_You sly fox. _She thought she was so cool and closed off. I saw right through her. No one as uptight as Elsa ever overlooked anything she did. She knew what she was doing when she ate that seed. _Oh boo hoo, poor Elsa just _has _to come back sometimes. _From her, it was as good as a shout.

"Whatever. You'll pretty the place up," I said. Surely she saw through me as much as I did her.

It didn't take long for Elsa to gather her things, since she didn't have any. She said it was too early to know when she could come next, and that she'd have to smooth things over with her advisors first. Obviously she was crazy about me.

I saw them all off as they prepared to return topside. Apparently Cerberus was all bark and no bite, since Anna assured Elsa he wouldn't give them any trouble.

"See you around," I said before they went.

"Under much better circumstances," Elsa said. So she _did _know how to joke. She looked so much more at home when she smiled.

"You don't have to if you change your mind," Anna said.

"I think I want to," Elsa said. I was ready to let her go without anything else, but she surprised me. She came over and gave me one of those awkward half hugs you give someone you really don't want to be close to, no gloves needed.

"We'll work on that," I said. They started off and she waved. I watched them go and thought ahead. Not much had changed. I was still god of the dead, and I was still stuck in the boondocks while my idiot brother partied it up in Olympus. But I did have something to look forward to. There was clearly no rushing Elsa, but I could wait. I had all the time in the world. I was _immortal. _As for Elsa... if she ever wound up here under less than pleasant circumstances, I could make an exception. I was the god of the dead. If I wanted to give her a pass I could and I would. She'd just have to be my queen, and we'd party it up down here. I could hardly wait.

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**There you have it. Thanks to the eight people who followed the story and I hope you enjoyed it.**


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